excellent cello player, composer and conductor of late classicism. Born on Cernin Manor, South Bohemia in the family of a peasant. He studied in Prague , sang in the choir of Krizovnicky Monastery (at Charles Bridge) and learnt cello there under Frantisek Josef Werner. In 1774 he left Bohemia and played first cello in the prince's band of Ottingen-Wallerstein Manor in Swabia (Schwaben, German country on the border of today's Switzerland, France and Germany). He was giving concerts over Europe; on one of his tours he met Leopold Mozart (father of W.A.Mozart) who appreciated Rejcha's skills very much. In 1785 he became the court bandmaster in Bonn. Here under his guidance began young Antonin Rejcha (Josef Rejcha's nephew) and L.v.Beethoven their musical careers. In 1794 he left to Cologne (Koln am Rhein) to serve as bandmaster of the archbishop's band. Only a year later he died.
   Rejcha composed mainly classical chamber music in spirit of Mannheim School, technically sofisticated, often with surprizing elements of future romantic style.

Works:

• 3 cello concertos (A-Major C-Major, E-Major)
• concertos for other instruments (violin, viola, brass)
• a lot of chamber compositions (e.g. duets for violin and cello)

Sources:
Wikipedia (just Czech, German or French)
Mala encyklopedie hudby (book by dr. Jar. Smolka; &kolektiv, Supraphon 1983)
CD booklet J. Rejcha-J.Fiala: Cello Concertos (GZ Lodenice 1994)

Samples (MP3):
Concerto E Major for cello and string orchestra (3. Allegro, Karel Fiala-cello, Archi Boemi cond. Hynek Farkac, GZ 1994)
Concerto D Major for violin, cello and stringo orchestra (1. Allegro; rec. by Musica Bohemica and Shizuka Ishikawa, CD J.Rejcha-A.Vranicky, GZ 1995)